Film Critique: Farewell Regent Context of the Documentary

Film Critique: Farewell Regent Context of the Documentary

The documentary film Farewell Regent, deeply explores ancient history and the impact Regent Theater which has been present historically as a building. The documentary features interviews conducted with former employees, patrons and historians who at one point had memories with the significant Regent Theatre.Challenges face by the theatre is also highlighted when scenarios in the movie industry such as urban development and shifting social dynamics. From the historic analysis of photographs, archival clips and personal anecdotes the documentary centers on the current life and times. We see how the local community is impacted on by the provocation the social, cultural and economic changes that contributed to the shift of the Regent Theatre and its contribution to historical memory which is a reflection. 

Introduction 

Farewell Regent Film documentary profiles past and current city officials, developers, and housing advocates chattering about the before and after effects of public housing on families and the cultural and social life of the city dwellers. The Film centered on the failure of public housing, the renewal of Toronto, the effects on the residents, and the efforts of the activists to combat crime, drugs, and the physical and social stigma of the project. The ninety-minute documentary uses interviews as a primary data source, deftly punctuating its narrative to expose the social housing crisis eating up many urban centers, emphasizing housing as a basic human right. The Film gives flashes of the old house, thus explicitly feeding the viewers with how life was about living in Regent Park in the early days of its construction. The Film reflected on harmonious relations between husbands, wives, parents, and children. 

Barry Thomas, a Canadian Immigrant and an operating unit manager in Regent Park, who is responsible for social maintenance and all relationships in Regent Park, is the first interviewer of the Film. He gives the historical background of Regent Park, its initial habitats, and how it was operated. The film then shifts to the first tenants of Regent Park, a newly built building reminiscing old memories, the community, and unity. Margret McCormick reminisces how the apartments of the buildings were inspected for cleanliness and well beings of the children. From the interview, early tenants had memories of unity among each other, how their children played with each other, and individuals looked out for each other. 

The regent park was revitalized due to a mixed-income approach in efforts to address housing project problems (August 2014). After revitalization,  Regent Park was no longer the home that most former residents associated with. Before Muslims were less, about five percent but after revitalization, the Muslim population increased, which brought fear among the residents due to religious stereotyping of them as terrorists. The Film also cites that one of the major reasons to redevelop Regent Park was because the building's steels lifespan of fifty years had been depleted, thus exposing the residents to dangers such as collapsing (19.33). Moreover, there was a need to include social and commercial amenities were built to offer employment, recreational activities, and a youth center to the residents. The Farewell Regent Film addresses cultural significance of Regent Theatre, challenges caused by urban development and impact of former colleagues.  

However, from the documentary, as much as it was a great thought and action to include the social and commercial amenities, Former residents like Margret McCormick could not understand the dynamics of its reconstruction, yet for twenty years she had lived there, .She describes the houses to be strong, and the materials used to be of a quality such that she did not do any type of repair in the years she was a tenant there thus meaning that the new buildings are of cheap quality (19:46). From the Film, one can note it is because the building was linked to their childhood memories. However, the breaking down of the elevators to doors not opening, leading to entrapment, and breaking of kitchen handles are some of the problems that residents face, thus making individuals despise the houses. In the documentary some perspectives can be heard while others are missing. The audible perspectives are from the former employees, historians and experts and the community members around Regent theatre. Perspectives from Current Regent Management theatre and from local residents cannot be heard. 

The Regent Park was renovated to do away with the negative territorial stigmatization that came with it. August (2014. 1019) notes that territorial stigmatization plays a vital role in the process of evaluating public housing sites. This is evident in the Film, where the Regent Park was associated with poverty,  crimes such as drugs and theft, and sexual offenses such as rape. As a result, children were unsafe and lacked role models to guide them. Laughlin & Johnson (2011) minute that the type of neighborhood that young individuals grow up in plays a fundamental role in their lives (440). However, they argue that young people have been left out when planning and designing houses and spaces because they are considered to lack responsibility, interest, and experience. From the Film, it is evident that Regent Park was unsafe for children. Children would witness individuals masturbating and using drugs such as Cracks which affected them psychologically(Nathani, 2020.5). Moreover, the youth were considered poor and thus felt isolated while paying with their neighbors. Therefore, during the reoccupation, former residents with a history of drug crimes were not allowed to occupy any house to protect the children. 

The Film documents the reality of Regent Park, which is so different compared to the damaging narrative that the media and pro-redevelopment advocates have propagated. The residents describe a well-connected neighborhood, filled with love and harmony for each other regardless of race or religion. Despite poverty being associated with the park, the Film exposes the benefits of living in concentrated poverty, which entails a sense of mutual understanding as a result of sharing mutual experiences. However, after renovation, there was a lack of interaction between new tenures, something that made others forge relationships. However, the Farewell Regent Park film does not cover how the police would tackle crimes in the neighborhood without stereotyping individuals based on religion or color. Farewell Regent Documentary engages implicitly with urban renewal theory where transformation is witnessed in physical, social and economic activities within a given neighborhood which is an act of renewal. Social justice and equity which is attributed to by acts of discrimination and inequality is also highlighted in the film through occupation of spaces by different individuals. Nathani (2020) argues unequal distribution of benefits by municipalities as marginalized communities are discriminated as a result of revitalization. 

Moreover, the comfort of having the same struggle comes with "political strength," where individuals have the same voice during tenant and community activism (Park ,2021.11). However, the Film sheds light on the disadvantage of cultural diversity and the different tenants of different economic households. The influx of condo residents challenges the" politically savvy" tenants. The renovation brought justice to the Regent Park neighborhood; according to Feinstein, a justice city is characterized by equality, democracy, diversity, growth, and sustainability. The Film echoes Feinstein’s definition of a justice city, and the director tries to make the audience understand that Regent Park was renovated due to its bad state to ensure diversity where individuals from different backgrounds, colors, races, and social statuses were there to challenge rhetoric stigmatization(Nathani, 2020.6). As a result, children would find mentors and individuals they can look up to, thus shaping their behaviors. From the interviews, many people enjoyed cultural diversity in the park; however, some expressed racist attitudes that come with cultural diversity. From the documentary storytelling aspects and cinematography was done well making it easier to convey the structured message. In the Documentary Farewell Regent Clarity and focus of the films can be improved in order to make it easier in understanding the changing context which can be done through editing of the scenarios. Also an improvement can be done to the cinematography to improve the visuals and aesthetics of the film. 

This documentary expediently sheds light on the housing challenges in every city globally that comes with redevelopment. The Farewell Regent film symbolizes how the redevelopment of Regent Park ignored the positive experiences of the community and portrayed public housing as a dysfunctional project that breeds all sorts of crimes, thus being dangerous and isolating. The Film denigrates an area where residents have suffered territorial stigmatization; therefore, the policy makes using it an excuse for revitalization and favors segregation. However, on a wider prospect, keen observers can note that revitalization reinforces geographical patterns of sociopathic polarization, which are reconcentrated in the Regent Park neighborhoods.           

References

August, M. (2014). Challenging the rhetoric of stigmatization: The benefits of concentrated poverty in Toronto's Regent Park. Environment and planning A, 46(6), 1317-1333. https://sci-hub.hkvisa.net/10.1068/a45635 

Laughlin, D. L., & Johnson, L. C. (2011). Defining and exploring public space: perspectives of young people from Regent Park, Toronto. Children's Geographies, 9(3-4), 439-456. https://sci-hub.hkvisa.net/ 

Nathani, A. (2020). Revisiting Revitalization: How Municipalities Can Positively Impact Gentrification. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1596&context=uwilldiscover 

PARK, R. (2021). Regent Park report cover. https://www.metcalffoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Regent-Park-2022-ONLINE-metcalf.pdf